Pennsylvania State Senate Explained

Pennsylvania State Senate
Legislature:Pennsylvania General Assembly
Term Limits:None
New Session:January 3, 2023
Session Room:Senate Chamber, Pennsylvania State Capitol Building.jpg
House Type:Upper house
Body:Pennsylvania General Assembly
Leader1 Type:President
Leader1:Austin Davis (D)
Election1:January 17, 2023
Leader2 Type:President pro tempore
Leader2:Kim Ward (R)
Election2:November 30, 2022
Leader3 Type:Majority Leader
Leader3:Joe Pittman (R)
Election3:November 30, 2022
Leader4 Type:Minority Leader
Leader4:Jay Costa (D)
Election4:January 4, 2011
Term Length:4 years
Authority:Article II, Pennsylvania Constitution
Salary:$102,844/year + per diem[1]
Members:50
Structure1:Pennsylvania State Senate 2024 2024.svg
Structure1 Res:250px
Structure1 Alt:Layout of Pennsylvania
Political Groups1:Majority

Republican (28)

Minority

Democratic (20)

Forward/Democrat (2)

Last Election1:November 8, 2022
(even-numbered districts)
Next Election1:November 5, 2024
(odd-numbered districts)
Redistricting:Bipartisan Commission
Meeting Place:State Senate Chamber
Pennsylvania State Capitol
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
Website:Pennsylvania State Senate
Logo Pic:Seal of the Senate of Pennsylvania.svg

The Pennsylvania State Senate is the upper house of the Pennsylvania General Assembly, the Pennsylvania state legislature. The State Senate meets in the State Capitol building in Harrisburg. Senators are elected for four-year terms, staggered every two years such that half of the seats are contested at each election.[2] Even numbered seats and odd numbered seats are contested in separate election years. The president pro tempore of the Senate becomes the lieutenant governor of Pennsylvania in the event of the sitting lieutenant governor's removal, resignation or death. In this case the president pro tempore and lieutenant governor would be the same person.[3] The Pennsylvania Senate has been meeting since 1791.

The president of the Senate is the lieutenant governor, who has no vote except to break a tie vote.

Qualifications

Senators must be at least 25 years of age. They must be a U.S. citizen and a Pennsylvania resident four years, and a resident of that district one year prior to their election and must reside in that district during their term.[4]

Senate leadership

President of the Senate: Austin Davis (D)
President Pro Tempore of the Senate: Kim Ward (R)

Majority party (R)Leadership positionMinority party (D)
Joe PittmanFloor LeaderJay Costa
Ryan AumentWhipChristine Tartaglione
Kristin Phillips-HillCaucus ChairmanWayne D. Fontana
Camera BartolottaCaucus SecretaryMaria Collett
Appropriations Committee Chairman
Dan LaughlinPolicy Committee ChairmanKatie Muth
Lisa BakerCaucus Administrator

Composition

Historical sessions

See main article: 2022 Pennsylvania Senate election.

AffiliationParty

(shading indicates majority caucus)

Total
RepublicanIndDemocraticVacant
nowrap style="font-size:80%"1995–1996 session29021500
nowrap style="font-size:80%"1997–1998 session3020500
nowrap style="font-size:80%"1999–2000 session3020500
nowrap style="font-size:80%"2001–2002 session3020500
nowrap style="font-size:80%"2003–2004 session2921500
nowrap style="font-size:80%"2005–2006 session3020500
nowrap style="font-size:80%"2007–2008 session2921500
nowrap style="font-size:80%"2009–2010 session3020500
nowrap style="font-size:80%"2011–2012 session3020500
nowrap style="font-size:80%"2013–2014 session2723500
nowrap style="font-size:80%"2015–2016 session3020500
nowrap style="font-size:80%"2016–2017 session3119500
2017–2018 session3416500
nowrap style="font-size:80%"2018–2019 session2822500
nowrap style="font-size:80%"2019–2020 session29121500
2021–2022 session28121500

Current session

As of January 3, 2023:

↓
22<--0-->28
Democratic<--Don't show Independent here. It messes up the width and impresses upon the reader that they have more seats in the House than what they actually have. -->Republican
AffiliationParty

(shading indicates majority caucus)

Total
RepublicanIndDemocraticVacant
End of previous legislature28121500
January 3, 202327022491
February 28, 2023[5] 28500
Latest voting share0%

Membership

The Senate is made up of 50 members who are elected by district. In 2012, a State Senate district had an average population of 254,047 residents.

List of current members

DistrictSenatorPartyResidenceCounties representedFirst electedTerm ends
Dem Philadelphia20202024
Dem Philadelphia19942026
Dem Philadelphia20162024
Dem 20142026
Dem Philadelphia2022[6] 2024
Rep 20222026
Dem 19942024
Dem/Fwd[7] 19982026
Dem Birmingham20202024
Dem Lower Makefield Township20182026
Dem 20112024
Dem Montgomery20182026
Rep 20162024
Dem 20222026
Rep 20162024
Rep 20222026
Dem 20202024
18Dem/Fwd[8] 19982026
Dem West Chester20202024
Rep 20062026
Rep 20122024
DemScranton2021[9] 2026
Rep 20082024
Rep 20222026
Rep Pine Creek Township20202024
Dem Swarthmore20182026
Rep Sunbury20232024
RepYork Township20182026
Rep 20092024
Rep Hollidaysburg20182026
Rep 20162024
Rep 20142026
Rep 20192024
Rep 2022 2026
Rep 20162024
Rep 20142026
Rep 20202024
Dem West View20182026
Rep 20082024
Rep 20222026
Rep 20192024
Dem 20052026
43Dem 19962024
Dem East Vincent Township20182026
DemMcKeesportAllegheny20102024
Rep 20142026
Rep 20082024
Rep 2021[10] 2026
Rep 20162024
Rep 20142026

Standing committees

Committee Name Majority chair Minority chair
Aging & Youth Judy WardMaria Collett
Agriculture & Rural Affairs Elder VogelJudy Schwank
Appropriations Scott MartinVincent Hughes
Banking & Insurance John DiSantoSharif Street
Communications & Technology Tracy PennycuickJimmy Dillon
Community, Economic & Recreational Development Chris GebhardAnthony H. Williams
Consumer Protection & Professional LicensurePatrick J. StefanoLisa Boscola
EducationDave ArgallLindsey Williams
Environmental Resources & Energy Eugene YawCarolyn Comitta
Finance Scott HutchinsonNick Miller
Game & Fisheries Greg RothmanJim Brewster
Health & Human Services Michele BrooksArthur L. Haywood III
Intergovernmental OperationsJarrett ColemanChristine Tartaglione
Judiciary Lisa BakerSteve Santarsiero
Labor & Industry Devlin RobinsonJohn I. Kane
Law & Justice Mike ReganJim Brewster
Local GovernmentRosemary BrownTim Kearney
Rules & Executive NominationsJoe PittmanJay Costa
State GovernmentCris DushAmanda Cappelletti
Transportation Wayne LangerholcMarty Flynn
Urban Affairs & HousingFrank FarryNikil Saval
Veterans Affairs & Emergency Preparednesss Doug MastrianoKatie Muth

Past composition of the Senate

See main article: Political party strength in Pennsylvania.

See also

Sources

External links

Notes and References

  1. The Pennsylvania Manual, pp. 3–7.
  2. Article II, section 3, Pennsylvania Constitution.
  3. Article IV, section 14, Pennsylvania Constitution.
  4. Web site: Constitution of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania . Web site: Article II. The Legislature . Web site: §5. Qualifications of Members .
  5. Web site: Jones . Matt . 2023-02-15 . Schlegel-Culver to be sworn in to Senate Feb. 28 . 2023-02-24 . The Standard-Journal . en.
  6. [John Sabatina]
  7. Affiliated with the Forward Party.
  8. Affiliated with the Forward Party.
  9. [John Blake (Pennsylvania politician)|John Blake]
  10. [Dave Arnold (politician)|Dave Arnold]

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